Can you mail controlled substance prescriptions

Skip top navigation. Postal Explorer. Toggle navigation Postal Explorer. Skip side navigation. Certain poisonous toxic drugs and medicines may be subject to the requirements for Division 6. Over-the-counter drugs which are medicines that can be obtained without a prescription.

This includes patent medicines and related items such as aspirin, antiseptics, cold remedies, diet pills, and cosmetic medicines that do not contain a controlled substance and are not poisonous drugs or medicines. National and local advertising on its use. The manner in which the item is displayed for sale. Whether the owner, or anyone in control of the item, is a legitimate supplier of like or related items to the community, such as a licensed distributor or dealer of tobacco products.

Direct or circumstantial evidence of the ratio of sales of the items to the total sales of the business enterprise. The existence and scope of legitimate uses of the item in the community.

Expert testimony on its use. Being aware of other characteristics of an article or substance, such as its flammable, toxicity, or corrosive characteristics that may affect mailability. Controlled substances and drugs that contain controlled substances are acceptable in the domestic mail only under the following conditions: For mailable controlled substances, generally both the mailer and addressee must meet either of the following conditions: Be registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration DEA.

Be exempted from DEA registration, such as military, civil defense, and law enforcement personnel, in performing official duties. For mail-back programs conducted in accordance with For prescription medicines containing mailable narcotic drugs controlled substances , when mailed by drug manufacturers or their registered agents, pharmacies, medical practitioners, or other authorized dispensers as permitted by 21 CFR For nonprescription medicines, the mailer must meet all applicable federal, state, or local laws that may apply such as the Poison Prevention Packaging Act of in 15 U.

The following conditions apply: Controlled substances. The inner packaging of any mailpiece containing a mailable controlled substance must be marked and sealed in accordance with the applicable provisions and regulations of the Controlled Substances Act see The inner packaging is also labeled to show the prescription number and the name and address of the pharmacy, practitioner, or other person dispensing the prescription and must be securely held within a plain outer wrapper or packaging.

No markings of any kind that indicate the nature of the contents may appear on the outside of the mailpiece. The general packaging requirements in DMM The practitioner or the practitioner's agent will note on the prescription that the patient is a hospice patient. Redesignated at 38 FR , Sept.

The Department of Justice does not endorse the organizations or views represented by this site and takes no responsibility for, and exercises no control over, the accuracy, accessibility, copyright or trademark compliance or legality of the material contained on this site.

You are about to access: The Department of Justice does not endorse the organizations or views represented by this site and takes no responsibility for, and exercises no control over, the accuracy, accessibility, copyright or trademark compliance or legality of the material contained on this site. The USPS will specify the laws applied at a national level. But there are special entities and people who can mail prescription drugs.

This includes drug manufacturers, pharmacies, and other licensed dispensers. In addition to this, you can send a prescription drug if you or the receiver of the prescription drug mail is exempt from DEA registration. In recent times, online pharmacies and mail-order pharmacies are becoming more popular. The opioid crisis and drug abuse have grown increasingly serious. This has been a leading cause of many overdose-related deaths. For this main reason, the government has continuously taken steps to eliminate the ways and means of such abuse.

Because of this, police and federal investigators have begun focusing on drugs sent through the mail. Even if the postal worker feels there is any illegal content in the package. The law protects senders of mail from having the packages searched for illegal drugs and other controlled substances.

In the instance a postal worker finds something suspicious, a search warrant must be requested and issued. The search warrant also needs to be presented with reasonable suspicion. With such a law in place, the rate of drugs mailed, and related abuses have consistently increased.

This is one of the leading reasons why prescription drugs cannot be mailed. Moreover, due to these reasons, the laws have been made more rigid. The U. So, they have their inspection division under the postal service. This is where the postal inspectors can screen and check for drugs in packages.